Can You See Me?
by Rurple101
Summary: Alice returns after two weeks but she sees Tarrant has a new "friend" and she feels left out…until she realizes she may be jealous and Tarrant might not feel the same way as she does anymore.
1. The Final Straw

**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

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**Summary:** Alice returns after two weeks but she sees Tarrant has a new "friend" and she feels left out…until she realizes she may be jealous and Tarrant might not feel the same way as she does anymore.

**Rating:** T

**Category:** _MOVIES_/ Alice In Wonderland 2010

**Language:** English

**Genres:** Hurt/Comfort/Romance

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**Chapter One - The Final Straw**

Alice sighed as she sat at the tea table. She had been forced to endure a whole afternoon of listening to Lord and Lady Ascot (Hamish's parents) drabble on about how she shouldn't be working too hard on the company (or her late father's company) since she had returned from Underland (the land she had called 'Wonderland').

"Gone are the days, Allison where you can just…do it all yourself!" Lady Ascot trilled, placing her tea cup down more forcefully than intended.

Alice cringed; she hated anyone calling her _Allison_.

"First of all, my name is Alice -" Alice said, meeting Lady Ascot's beady and narrow eyes "- and secondly, it's my life and we can't all just watch the world go by and do nothing in the world. I want to make my father's company live to his dreams before I choose to settle down!"

Lord Ascot chuckled, also placing his tea down. "Come, come Alice. I understand you completely about you wanting to make your father's company live up to its name. But remember, and I am very sorry to put it bluntly but your father has passed on. He may have been been denied future plans…"

"Yes, I know. My mother told me that you and your colleagues denied allowing my father to China. Maybe if you had listened, then I wouldn't be here doing it for him!" Alice blurted out, determined to win the argument.

Lord and Lady Ascot both looked shocked at the outburst by the young Kingsleigh. But Lord Ascot sighed and looked down into his tea cup.

"I know Alice" he said gravely. "I understand how your annoyance at me and want to do your company well but…you can do better than this! You can have a life!"

"By marrying a stupid suitor and producing heirs, making sure I look after my face as well?" Alice literally exploded. "_Never_ in a million years will I do that! That is nonsense!"

Both Lord and Lady Ascot went to stand and argue but a maid interrupted the three people. "Excuse me?"

They all turned. "Miss Kingsleigh, there is a message for you at your manor."

"Thank you" Alice said calmly and straightened her dress out. Taking a deep breath Alice looked at them. "I shall be right back to finish this!" she swore and took haste towards the front gates and summoned a carriage to take her home. Once inside the carriage she sunk down in her seat and put her head in her hands.

_What is with me? How can I have changed so much during these last two weeks! I'm acting like a woman twice my age!_

**_Maybe.._**

_No! I won't! I can't leave now! Father's business!_

**_You cannot control it forever _****_Alice_****_. You should let go while you can otherwise you will be left with money pouring from you and you'll be broke._**

_I shall think about it._

**_Good girl_**

Alice had no idea who was speaking to her while she thought like that but she just let it go and got on with their work. She knew she wanted and needed to go back to her home, her Wonderland to her friends, her Hatter, Tarrant Hightopp who was probably the only man she had fallen in love with.

Yes, she had admitted it to herself. As soon as she had fallen back out of the hole to the magical land, she had felt such emptiness, that she had felt physically broken. She had felt the ghost of Tarrant's arms wrapped around her and the ghost of his two magical kisses on her lips.

_I love him_; she had thought at once and looked behind her to see if the hole was still there. It was so she went back to the party and declined the man whose parents had now argued with her. _Stupid Hamish! Stupid Lord and Lady Ascot! Stupid world_!

She was running out of excuses to herself on why she was sticking to her plan. Tarrant hadn't wanted her to leave…only moments before she had. Only she hadn't realised she loved him until she was back up here. And he had loved her as well! And he was probably going mad!

_If one worse thing happens to me or anyone around me up here, then I will not hesitate to jump back down that hole to the arms of my Hatter_, she thought determinedly.

She raced inside and handed her coat to the butler. Harold nodded to her gravely and said "Your sister will explain Miss Kingsleigh" and walked away to hang it up on the coat stand.

Alice froze. "_What_?" she asked.

Harold eyes her carefully. "Go into the parlour, Miss Kingsleigh" he ordered and she obeyed. He was one of the staff who gave orders to Alice. He scared her too much that she listened.

She paced towards the parlour door but it opened before she could raise her hand to the handle. Her sister, Margaret was there, as was Lowell. Alice glared at him as her sister hugged her while tears were streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh… _Alice_!" Margaret sobbed into her little sister's shoulder.

"What is it Margaret?" Alice demanded, she was completely unaware of what was happening.

"Its…it's…mother…" Margaret sobbed even harder if it was possible. Lowell put a hand on his wife's shoulder and guided her over to the sofa and sat her down next to him which she wrapped her arms around him.

"What about her?" Alice asked.

The last thing they knew was that their mother, Helen Kingsleigh had gone on a holiday as a thank you for raising the two girls. They had given her a seaside holiday to Brighton on the south eastern coast of England. They had received various letters from their mother, saying how charming Brighton was and that she had met some lovely new people in the place were she was being taken care of.

"Read…read the letter…" Lowell stammered as he lowered his teary eyes to his wife's make up spoiled face as it ran down her face by her tears. He reached into his pocket and handed her his handkerchief. She took it and wandered over to the mirror, and wiped her face down.

Confused, Alice walked across the parlour and picked up the abandoned piece of paper.

**_To the Kingsleigh family_**

**_I am writing to tell you of an unfortunate event. Allison and Margaret, I really do hate to state this in a letter but late last night, your mother Helen died peacefully in her sleep. We all made sure she had a happy time while she was in our care. She sensed that she was slipping away yesterday evening and she told me to say to you that she loved you and that she is proud of you. She hated to want to leave you like this but I am afraid that she will be transported back to you for a funeral in September. _**

**_I am most sorry for your loss. Helen was a lovely woman._**

**_Yours sincerely_**

**_Madame Roselle. _**

Alice felt numb as she saw herself drop the letter back onto the coffee table. She saw the room spin and she heard her sister's yelp of "_ALICE_!" before she fainted on the cold marble floor.

* * *

Alice awoke from her slumber several minutes after. She was still on the parlour floor and her sister, Lowell, Harold and a few other maids were surrounded around her.

"I'm fine." She said at once.

"Nonsense" Harold said sneering. "You need some food."

Alice's anger flared. "Shut up Harold or you can find yourself another job!" she snarled back.

The maids nodded and excused themselves and walked away. So did Harold quickly.

Margaret paled. "Alice, are you alright?"

"A little shocked, and soon to be grieving my mother but apart from that I shall be fine physically. I shall see you later." She answered.

She got up (ignoring how everyone had to move hastily out of her way as she got up) and walked quickly and quietly upstairs to her room.

"This is the final straw!" she said aloud to herself. "I'm going back."

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**Yes, I have made sure that THIS fanfiction by me gose by the ORIGINAL script of Alice In Wonderland . Please REVIEW! :D**


	2. Everyone Moves On

**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

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**Chapter Two - Everyone Moves On  
**

Alice could be a very strong minded woman when she needed to be. She had to yell at Harold for several minutes before he let her out of the manor, with a suitcase, coat and hat (her father's tall black one).

"I _DON'T CARE_ WHAT YOU _THINK_ HAROLD SMITH!" she bellowed. "YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT I'M DOING, THEN YOU GO GET ANOTHER JOB! I'M NOT STATYING HERE TO WATCH!"

Then she had marched out of the house, also ignoring the five maids downstairs and her pleading sister. "I am NOT letting you leave Alice!"

"Watch me!" Alice hissed and stormed off straight into the awaiting carriage.

_What is WRONG with me?_ Alice screamed to herself. _Why have I turned to such a horrible person? _

**_Remember _****_Alice_****_ - move on, be strong that is the way forward!_**

Exactly twelve minutes later she exited from the carriage and paid the footmen to go home and treat himself. She waited until he was out of sight, slipped her father's hat on and marched towards the patio where her former tea party had been held.

Lord Ascot raised his eyebrows to see Alice as she was.

"Going somewhere Alice?" he asked, his wise eyes staring at the hat as if he recognized it.

"Yes" she replied smartly. "I am going away and shall not return until my mother's funeral in September." It was hard to say the words but she did it.

"_Good lord_!" Lord Ascot exclaimed. "Helen? Passed on?"

_He had not heard the news then_, Alice thought.

"Yes."

"Oh."

"And now I shall be on my way. It was good to do business with you Sir, may I wish you good health for the company and family" and she held out her hand to him.

Slightly shocked and confused, he took it, shook it and nodded as Alice started to walk away from him. But she was confused when she saw Hamish Ascot walking towards her with a very determined look upon his face. Alice spotted him just as he grabbed her left hand.

"Alice, what are you saying? You are leaving the company?" he asked, staring at her as if she were something inhuman. Alice withdrew her hand from his grasp and straightened her hat upon her head and looked down at him, to which he was now on his knees.

"Yes I think its time I bowed out and if by some miracle you do inherit the company, my friend I ask you to remember _whose _family and _who _founded it" Alice said.

"Of course Alice" he replied instantly, taking her hand once more and kissing her knuckles.

"But won't you re-think my proposal?" he asked quickly, loosing himself.

But Alice gave him a look; a look _any _man around would understand that it was best he had just been quiet. A look which told Hamish quite clearly that she would _never _reconsider her answer. Alice was a very strong minded person.

"Goodbye my friend." He said smiling charmingly and standing to hug her briefly and stepped aside.

"Fair-farren Hamish and fair-farren all!" she declared and started walking once more.

It was hard for Alice to step down from her life in London, a place of busy and quiet streets, higher and lower class of people and certain rules and regulations to follow. She would miss how she had been allowed some leash since the engagement party failure with Hamish in which times, afterward Hamish had become good friends with Alice.

Alice would miss him but not as much as the man she knew loved her as much as she loved him.

_But everyone has to move on,_ had been her motto and she stuck to it.

If there was a time when she wished more than ever to be seen she would ask the simple question of "_**Can you** actually **see me**? Or are you going to **ignore **the young maiden in the background as you warble on about **utter rubbish**?_"

_Yes_, everyone has and would _always _move on.

That is why Alice had taken her mother's passing so well, better than her sister. She had accepted that that is _life_.

Life may be that you are _choose _to cry, you _choose _to act bad or well as you should as everyone has an opinion and _act upon that choice_. It was the way of many thoughts, logical explanations and reason.

She knew she sounded psychological but this is how she knew to deal with pressure, stress and pain – emotional and physically.

It was her way forward – as was her choice to return to a place she knew she was loved, admired, looked upon and thought as a good person. She may not be like that _up here,_ but she needed to return home – _Wonderland_.

_I miss Tarrant so much_, was very frequent thought of hers, the little nagging voices creeping into her brain like a worm and then settling there to annoy her.

_I wonder what they'll think of me when I return.  
Will they hate me for taking so long?  
Will they be so happy they will forget I've gone?  
Has Iracebeth and Stayne been kept in exile?  
Will Tarrant forget me? Will he forget I loved him as well?  
Will he think I'm the WRONG Alice?_

The madness _never _stopped and it was a drag, a pain and an annoyance.

When Alice returned to see the sight of the ever open and gapping hole leading to the magical land of Underland again she was overcome with relief, joy and excitement. Her land _hadn_'t closed up on her. Her home was still calling to her. She was _ready_.

Alice threw her suitcase down and jumped in quickly afterwards. She screamed thought he air and hung tight onto her father's hat as she fell, remembering and experiencing the familiar fall down the long stretch of rabbit hole to the Hall of Doors.

Once she got down with a crash (and crashing from the ceiling once more) she drank the Pishsalver, and managed to get through the tiny door properly this time and hauled her now giant suitcase after her. She was exhausted afterwards.

So much in fact that after she ate a crumb of Upelkuchen (to grow back into her clothes) she collapsed just beside the steps and fell into a very deep sleep.

* * *

**Hope this is ok! Please tell me if this is getting better! I am doing Buddhism school for a GCSE course (which I go back on Friday!) so I involved how I thought about Buddhists and a little into it. Not sure if I got it right but its was worth the try :D**


	3. Distress Upon Welcome

**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

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**Chapter Three – Distress Upon Welcome**

Alice awoke from her stupor from a deep grunting noise. She opened her eyes and yawned very deeply, stretching her arms and legs and her eyes looking for the new noise. It was similar to purring but also had howling as well.

"Hello?" Alice asked, picking up her suitcase, brushing herself off and looking around for the answer to the noise that had woken her.

To answer her, a large furry and horrific beast appeared through the trees. But as soon as it spotted Alice, it seemed to perk up at once. So did Alice.

"_Bandy_!" she called out, delighted to have spotted a familiar face. The Bandersnatch jumped in the air and hurried towards her like a dog finding its owner.

He galloped towards her a full speed and stopped in time in front of the Champion and allowed her to pet it. "I missed you. Where are the others, Bandy?" Alice asked fondly to the beast. Since she had befriended the Bandersnatch and escaped upon it to Marmoreal with the Vorpal Sword, she hadn't seen much of him except when she rode on him to the chessboard on Frabjous Day.

It nodded its head and seemed to motion to her to get on his back. Slinging her case over first, Alice climbed upon the Bandersnatch and then with a lurch, he took off down the narrow path through the wooded area.

Around her she could hear the voices of all the plants, flowers and animals happily calling to her, greeting their champion on her return. She waved at them cheerily and sighed in happiness. This was much better than facing the death of her mother.

The Bandersnatch was charging full speed towards an area which a part of Alice recognized. It was a side gate with a hedge running alongside the black iron but short fence around what looked like a meadow. Then when they were close enough she spotted the March Hare's house (as it looked exactly like him).

Tarrant might be there, Alice thought and her heart speed up faster than the Bandersnatch could run. Her heart felt so much hope and excitement that she actually held her breath from the last hundred yards to the gate. Then the Bandersnatch cleared the gate altogether and landed right in front of the long tea table.

Alice slid off him easily and looked round. Thackeray the March Hare had frozen on the spot, tea cup just frozen as if taking aim at something across the table which turned out to be Mallymkun the dormouse. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as Alice walked forward towards the table. But she only had eyes for someone else – someone who was smiling gleefully down the table at her as well.

Tarrant Hightopp, current Mad Hatter and Hatter to the White Queen, Mirana of Marmoreal himself was at the end of the table, sitting in his normal tall green chair with a tea cup and saucer in his hands, his hat upon his head a smile that could rival Chessur's on his face.

He was just staring at her, as if she were a ghost that would disappear any second – _which_ she thought, _he probably feared she would_. A surge of guilt filled her and before she ruined the moment, she spoke. "_Hi_."

Mallymkun spoke "What are you doing here, you great _LUMP_!" she said indignantly, pulling out her hatpin and brandishing it at Alice.

"I have come back to where I should have never left, Mallymkun" She replied, matching the dormouse's tone.

There was a crashing sound and before Alice could blink or look up, she was pulled into a very tight but warm hug. She inhaled and guessed it was Tarrant who was hugging her. She wound her hands round his waist and hugged him back. It was so good to have him back, to see him again.

"Your late" he said in his normal tender tone once he pulled away and looked down at her into her hazel eyes. She stared back into his green ones, wanting more than anything for it to happen – the thing that had happened when he was last this happy – he'd kissed her.

But he didn't this time round. Instead, much to her disappointment, she was lead by Tarrant to sit on his right hand side at the end of the table. Then she realized he was speaking to her and she hadn't answered.

"Alice?"

"Sorry, I was miles away."

"No, you weren't" the Hatter said, slightly confused. "You were and are sitting here, next to me."

"No Hatter – it's an expression." Alice explained and Tarrant looked deeply interested. Behind his mask of delight to see his best friend and love return to him, he knew that he had made a huge mistake. He'd spotted the look of hurt on Alice's face when he hadn't preceded more than _just a hug_. He felt guilty but he just _didn't…do that_.

"I have some riddles" Alice said, trying to cover up her discomfort at what she knew was unease echoing from his bright indigo colour of his eyes. "I see without seeing, Noise is an ally – what am I?"

Tarrant thought for several moments before saying "A bat?"

"Very _good_!" Alice exclaimed happily. She had inherited the Hatter's gleefully insane look and Tarrant tried very hard not to laugh at her expression. "What is full all day and empty all night?"

"Shoes!" Tarrant said at once. "Another!"

"A farmer has 17 sheep but all but 9 die in the night. How many are there alive in the morning?"

"9, all BUT 9 die!" The Hatter said. How he adored spending time with Alice! Then why – in his absence had he done something incredibly stupid? He should have listened to Queen Mirana. He regretted it now, sitting here, wanting more than ever to kiss his beloved so much that she was dizzy at the end of it. Bad Hatter!

"I would love to go and see Mirana now. Could you tell me the way to Marmoreal, Tarrant?" Alice asked, tapping his shoulder as he hadn't been listening as he thought. He jumped at the thought of letting Alice on her own go.

"_Nonsense_! I shall escort you there!" He said.

Alice sighed; this man was so unpredictable. "Tarrant, you are tired and so am I. I wish to see Mirana to see how she is and I need to speak with her soon. Just tell me the way and I be on my way."

"You made a rhyme, Alice."

"I used 'way' twice – that's cheating. Anyway, just tell me. Or I can get Bandy to show me." She got up from the table and started walking towards the Bandersnatch. If Tarrant wasn't going to love her like he had shown before then she really needed to speak with the Queen.

Tarrant found it heart-breaking to see her walk up and prepare to leave like that – he'd only just gotton her back! He jumped up and hurried towards her, ignoring the fact that his friends were still present sat at the table. "Let me come as well, Bandy tends to go through the swamps of Trotter's Bottom to get to Marmoreal, anyway."

Alice sighed and nodded, so he got up behind her on the Bandersnatch as well. It was hard for him to not place his hands round Alice's waist but _he couldn't_ make her feel like that – seeing as they were going to Marmoreal.

But seeing as when the Bandersnatch nearly took him off the back when he started off, Alice grabbed his hand to stop him falling off. She didn't realise that she held on all the way to Marmoreal. Tarrant did, and it made him even more…_unhappy_.

* * *

Upon their welcome to the White Queen's palace, Mirana herself spotted her champion and welcomed her with a hug as well.

"Welcome, my champion" she said happily. Alice smiled as well – it was good to see Mirana again. "I need to introduce you to a few people you didn't meet on your last visit. That is, if you are planning on staying in Marmoreal?"

"Yes, of course!" Alice spluttered quickly, to not let Tarrant hear her. There were a line of people who Alice guessed were servants in the palace.

"This is Emma, she will be your chambermaid. She will help you with anything you need. Run your bath, sort your dresses and clothes out, make your room, bring breakfast – that sort of thing." She motioned to a girl in front of then at the age of around eighteen. She was brown haired and had hair shorter than Alice's. It was very fine and halfway down her cheek; right next to her ear was a tiny star.

"Sorry if I sound rude, but may I ask what the star is for?" Alice asked, kindly to the girl. The girl was younger than she was. "It's just a tattoo, Lady Alice."

_Of course_, she thought. Alice nodded her head in realization. "Thank you, I forgot." Then she lowered her voice to a whisper so only the Queen and the young maid could hear her "I have one as well. I clean forgot about it though!"

"May I ask what it is, Alice?" Mirana asked.

Alice sighed and blushed slightly. "I had several. I know that sounds bad but there are not big and very innocent, not others things people draw on to themselves. I'd also like to keep that between ourselves. I have a star as well but on the back of my neck. I have a blue heart and a red heart meeting on my arm above my elbow and a butterfly on my left ankle."

They both gasped and Alice blushed more. "Enough of that!" she leaned back and returned to her normal tone. "Nice to meet you, Emma."

"And you as well, Lady Alice." Emma curtsied and excused herself.

"Is that why you refuse to wear stockings?" Mirana whispered to the Champion. "So they can catch a glimpse of your butterfly?"

Alice chuckled merrily. "Later." She said and the Queen introduced the others.

"This is Dylan; he will be your dressmaker and stylist. I know it's a new thing here but we feel that you of all people as well as me deserve better styled clothes. Dylan here is one of the best."

_Dylan was very good looking_, Alice thought naughtily. He was taller than her, the same height as Tarrant and had light brown hair, visible muscles and a handsome face. When he spoke he made Alice's legs turn to jelly. "At your service, Lady Alice."

He held out his hand and Alice felt like a schoolgirl as she shook it gently – his hands felt so strong and well-tanned. Stop it Alice!

"Irina – she will be your guide for Marmoreal, and if you will a tutor to the history of Underland if you wish to know it." Mirana added. Alice nodded eagerly and shook Irina's hand.

"I believe that is everyone." Mirana said and then a dark look crossed her face for the breiesfts of seconds. "Let's go find Tarrant. No doubt he'll want to introduce you to someone."

Alice's stomach dropped – _what now?_

They walked back towards the throne room to which they found Tarrant, looking around without luck. "Looking for someone?" Mirana asked in a much darker tone, but she still sounded like herself.

Tarrant fidgeted. "Have you seen Penelope? "

Alice felt faint; _please no, no, no, no!_

"I'm hereeee!" came a loud, girlish tone from the doors. Alice whirled round to see a girl, maybe younger than her walking towards them, only her hair was bright blue, her outfit was bright pink and her eyes were rainbow coloured.

Mirana looked unhappy as Tarrant stepped forwards toward 'Penelope'.

"Alice –"Tarrant said, un easily as he took Penelope's hands in his and turned towards them with an attempted happy grin. "- this is Penelope – my…_bride to be_."

Alice's heart ripped in two – only she didn't show it. She raised her eyebrow perfectly and walked towards the couple. She had a pleasant smile on her face and held out her hand. "Alice Kingsleigh – Nice to meet you."

Penelope looked at her hand and hesitantly looked side wards at Tarrant. It seemed she recognized the name '_Alice Kingsleigh'_ well. Tarrant was staring back at her. It had passed over ten seconds and

Alice dropped her hand. "Well perhaps it isn't."

She strode towards the doors without a backwards glance.

* * *

**Good or Bad? **


	4. A Queen's Talk

_**Haha I know this a second update on this story today but I really have the inspiration for this one LOL. x x x x x x**_

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**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

* * *

**Chapter Four – A Queen's Talk**

_This has to be some massive joke,_ Alice thought as she stormed down the corridor towards her old chambers. _Tarrant, with that massive pile of fake, things and … _

The tears were already pouring down her cheeks. She wiped them away furiously. _I went away – what did I expect? That he'd wait for me?_

Well usually when a man says he loves you and kisses you twice, that means he loves you – and people who love other people will wait for the other person to come back to them!

"I now wish I had never returned!" Alice moaned unhappily as she knocked first on the door to her old chambers and then tired the door. It was unlocked and she went in. It was empty but clean. She walked in and walked into Emma.

"Sorry Emma!" Alice said, helping Emma pick up the towels she had dropped. Emma smiled at her. "No worry, Lady Alice."

"By the way – in private you don't need to call me _'Lady'_ Alice, ok?"

"Yes, Alice. Would you like me to make you a bath? You look distressed." Emma offered.

"Oh would you? You are a star. Yes please!" Alice said and hugged Emma briefly.

Emma chuckled and said "Your wardrobe has been stocked with some dresses that Mr Hightopp made a while ago. But this evening or tomorrow, you can go to see Dylan and get your measurements done and he can start your new dresses."

"Thanks, Emma."

Alice went and sat on the edge of her massive four poster king sized bed. She laid back and tried to keep calm. Emma had only gone into the en suite to make her bath and she couldn't lose it with her around.

She seemed to have drifted off for a light snooze as she gently woken by Emma. "Your bath is ready Alice. I shall be in my room which is next to yours. I won't come out unless it's urgent as there is a door to the hall outside from there."

"Thank you again Emma."

"You're welcome Alice." Emma said and dismissed herself.

Alice wandered into the bathroom, stripped off her clothing and got into her bath. The water was very warm and smelt of lavender which she guessed Emma had put in to help her relax. I can sense her becoming a good friend of me already; Alice thought as she sank deeper into the water and closed her eyes.

But behind her eyes all she could see was Tarrant and Penelope kissing, walking round the gardens, doing things she had dreamt of herself and Tarrant doing together. The tears fell quicker and before she knew it she was sobbing her heart out.

_Why? Why has he got this effect over me? _

_That evil slurlvish bastard! He was my best friend! How can he be so stupid? He's killing me slowly! Making me feel all this pain? Whatever did I do to deserve this?_

The sobs continued until Alice realised the water was going cold. She got out and wrapped herself in the fluffy white towels and rinsed her hair and face. She cleaned her teeth, tied her hair up in another towel and dried the rest of the body. She poked her head out into her bedchamber (which had been warmed up since she had been in the bath) and spotted a dark blue nightgown on the end of her bed.

She grabbed it and changed into it and wrapped one of the many blankets form the bed around her shoulders and snuggled into her bed.

* * *

When Alice awoke in the morning, she saw from her clock that it was only half past nine in the morning. She lay in bed for a while, wondering on how she was going to face breakfast or in case the entire day without breaking down. She needed to be strong – strong how she was when she had to face her mother's passing. Oh no, don't think of that Alice.

She got out of bed lazily and on que, Emma opened the door to her side room and greeted her. "Morning Alice. How did you sleep?"

"Well but I forgot to drain the bath. Sorry." Alice apologized.

Emma waved it off. "It doesn't matter. Your clothes are here."

"Can you help me sort out my hair, Emma?" Alice asked. She was standing in front of her mirror and her hair was a mess being wrapped in a towel all night. Emma chuckled.

"Of course. Sit down on the end of the bed and I can sort it."

Alice did so and gently, Emma combed out all of her knots and twists in her hair. After a while her hair was reasonable tidy. "I'll leave it down today." Alice said and Emma nodded.

Alice wasn't sure what she was to wear today. In the end she (with Emma's eyebrow raised) decided to wear something considered _risky_.

But Mirana had encouraged the look to start the ball rolling of showing bare ankles and legs. Alice chose to wear a black strapless dress with short black high heels and a particle see-through jumper with sleeves. She left her hair down and applied a small amount of rouge lipstick (remembering to strap a black necklace round her neck for decoration). She took a twirl for Emma who clapped.

"You look great, Alice." She said and gave her a bag. "This has all you really need in it. Tissues, gloves and sunglasses" Emma stated. "So if you want time along in the Gardens, then you are all prepared. I saw that you were upset last night and thought you might need it again."

"Ah, thanks Emma!" Alice said happily and took it. "Now all I have to do is have breakfast without losing it."

"You will do fine. Now go get going!" Emma chuckled. Alice smiled and departed from her bedchamber, through her living area and out the main door to the pearl white hallway outside.

She looked confident as she strolled causally yet nervously down the hallway towards the main dining hall. Alice was just worried about seeing Tarrant with his arm round Penelope. She wouldn't know how to hold back the many tears that wanted to gush out of her eyes at the thought of it.

* * *

Mirana was not in a good mood today. Well, any day since that _idiotic_ Hatter of hers had got himself engaged to one of the most _disgraceful_ woman in all of Underland – even worse than her sister, Iracebeth!

Now if he had, as he should of, announced his love to the Champion, Alice Kingsleigh – then that would have made sense. Mirana sighed again at the stupidity of Tarrant. He had longed for a soul mate for Time-knows-how-long! He had been desperate for the past two years in Underland. His friends had only reminded him of the girl who he had thought he'd lost. Alice.

So he had started doing very reckless and improper things. None sensual – no Tarrant wasn't _that_ stupid. But he had met one of the worse. Penelope Hattins was what most people thought of a witch. She was not innocent like Alice. She was not kind like Alice and she certainly would of helped herself to anything, unlike Alice who helped others, instead of herself.

Penelope was selfish, pig-headed and boasted terribly. She wore cheap and horrific clothes, tacky not classy. She had offended several members of the court and she was uprooting old regulations. Penelope was a bitch. She gossiped _non-stop_ and would pay people to help her spread rumours and it was rumoured about her, that she had slept with several married men.

This is why Penelope and Tarrant hadn't gotton the Queen's blessing. They had gotton her curse – a thought that made everyone know but the couple that it wasn't to be. The dark side of Mirana was talking whenever it came to Penelope Hattins that _was for sure_.

Penelope was the complete opposite of Alice – which puzzled the Queen on how Tarrant would of gone for her. Maybe he had got tired of everything being like her, and opted against her. _Surely he knew_, deep down _– he had made a terrible mistake_?

Poor Alice – she had arrived happily fresh from Upperland, and she was subject to that…sight at once. She hadn't even been in Underland for a day and already the girl had fled to her chambers, crying and muttering to herself. Alice had style and character as well as class. She was elegant and kind. She saved Underland from Iracebeth's rule and befriends the Bandersnatch and slew the Jabberwocky.

Speaking of Alice, Mirana at the high table in the hall, heard the fanfare and McTwisp, her Royal Page announce "Lady Alice, Champion for the White Queen of Underland!" and the doors swung open to reveal Alice in a very classy and sophisticated strapless black dress, in heels and with a see-through jumper on. She looked at the top of fashion and taken the idea of showing off her bare legs and ankles. Everyone in the hall gasped at the sight of her and clapped, greeting the return of their champion. Alice smiled and curtsied to the crowd and walked towards Mirana.

"I wasn't expecting that" Alice joked as she sat down next to Mirana. On the other side of the Queen were Tarrant and Penelope and she tried not to look at them as Penelope fed Tarrant strawberries dipped in chocolate.

"No, I quite forgot to remind you though last night I didn't want to disturb you. Then she lowered her voice so the couple couldn't hear her. "You seemed quite upset last night. I heard you crying."

"Sorry." Alice said blankly. She had to turn away from Penelope otherwise she'll end up throwing something at her. The pain that threatened to make the tears spill over was hard but she controlled herself. She poured herself a tea, poured the cream in and added her sugar. She drank the whole cup in one sip (or what she started off as a sip).

"There is nothing to apologize about Alice. I should have really warned you." Mirana said grudgingly.

"How can he find someone to replace me in two _weeks_?" Alice muttered, distracted. Mirana looked up. "Come with me, we'll have breakfast on my terrace."

* * *

Several minutes later found Mirana and Alice chatting sitting on the terrace. "YEARS? It's been two years I've been away? In my world it was only two weeks!"

"Time was playing up" Mirana answered simply, taking a scone and buttering it with cream and jam. Alice looked at the floor – she was always wrong and never got anywhere. What was happening?

"I needed you to know that I was going to throw you a '_surprise'_ ball to welcome you back tomorrow evening." Mirana said. "I wasn't obviously going to say anything but are you in the mood for it? After this, you'll need to go to see Dylan and you can help him design your ball dress if you're up for it."

At the mention of a ball, Alice felt empty again. Another opportunity for Tarrant and Penelope to ruin. Another moment she'd dreamt about – dancing with Tarrant.

"Alice –"the Queen said, putting her tea down and looking at Alice intently until she looked up. "-You should know that Tarrant went quite mad when you left. His madness told him to do things that his normal self would have never done. Part of him, I can tell regrets what he's done just by looking at your face when you met Penelope. It wasn't fair on you and he's probably realised what he's done."

"He's gotton tied to some fake _tart_ who can't even resist every chance to make me feel like _crap_" Alice said, not caring about her foul swearing. Mirana giggled, finding Alice's naughty swearing funny. "I don't like her either. They haven't received my blessing."

"Really?" That made Alice's ears perk up. When had the Queen refused to give a blessing?

"She is the total opposite of you, Alice. I cannot stand her! You are kind, selfless and caring. She is fake, horrible and selfish." Mirana whined. "It's really hard for me to try and act like I like her as I am the Queen."

"Does she know that you despise her?"

"No, not really. She doesn't give a dam. She just marched in here like she owned the place. I'm so pleased that the guards have to chaperone her and Tarrant – because I have made the hours they are there like that shorter every week!"

"Mirana!"

"I know it's bad, Alice but…there comes a time when I'm tired of hearing her scream at Tarrant. Either its laughter or anger, I don't really care but Tarrant always comes out of her room, flustered and dizzy."

"How odd." Alice sighed, putting her tea down and getting up. "Thank you for speaking with me Mirana. I must go see Dylan now."

"You like him. You like him _loooads_." Mirana teased and Alice laughed.

"The thought of him does send jelly legs to me but that is what I would call an attractive man." Alice replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I'll see you later Alice." Mirana said.

"Bye." And Alice exited the terrace and down the hallway towards the Dressmaker's Room.

* * *

**by the way - if you want to see Sims2 Images of Alice & Penelope fighting LOL and outfits. Outfit #2 is the outfit Alice wears when she wakes up.  
**

_Facebook/ RurpleFanfictioner/ Photos/ Can You See Me?_

**PS) you can add me as a friend for updates on RurpleFanfictioner as well xx**_  
_


	5. Tarrant's Account

**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

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**Chapter Five– Tarrant's Account  
**

Tarrant Hightopp awoke on the morning after Alice's return in low spirits. He groaned as he moved aside from Penelope in his bed _AGAIN _and got out of bed quickly.

He hadn't realised until now, that using Penelope wasn't the best of ideas – he knew that his friend, Queen Mirana despised his new bride and Alice seemed, well he _didn't know_ how she felt.

He stretched; pulling his muscles into submission and went to his bathroom, took his clothes with him, went inside and locked the bathroom door. Inside he started his bath and stripped out of his clothing and flung it into his '_dirty clothes_' pile which had been growing. Not being a lord or lady, he didn't have a personal servant like he guessed Alice did.

All he knew was that he had been a bad person. He felt a sort of unease and guilt spread through him at the thought of Alice. He got out a piece of paper from his journal and wrote: _Be strong_. He left it on his mantel piece and went back into his bathroom.

When his bath was ready he got in, hissing slightly at the temperature and started to wash himself. He took his time, cleaning his fuzzy hair – the mercury never came out all at once. It took several washes in one day without making hats for a week for his hair to show a _tiny_ hint of the previous colour of light brown.

_I wonder why Alice stormed out yesterday_, he thought as he lathered the soap onto his arms and then rinsed it off by dunking it in the soapy water. _It's not like Alice to suddenly want to be out of a place. But Penelope was perfectly kind. It's not my fault that Alice saw Penelope was hesitant. Why on earth did I tell Penny that her surname was Kingsleigh? That made her freeze up!_

He continued to mutter to himself as he washed the rest of his muscled body (a thing nobody saw, not even Penelope) and got out of the bath and pulled the plug. He dried himself and looked into the streamed up mirror.

_I'm not like that dressmaker, Dylan or whatever his name is! I don't make it show with every word or motion I make. Surely he would be competition. I've never really liked him at all. _

**_Why's that Tarrant? Just because you thought he was chatting up Penelope that one time? _**His madness asked him. It threatened to overage him with madness (another thing Penelope had _never_ witnessed).

_He was trying to get her and hurt her! She is innocent and Dylan is a man whore!_

**_Penelope isn't as innocent as Alice is. That is a fact, Tarrant. Penelope is hardly a you would call an angel in that perspective. _**

For an answer – Tarrant was stumped. He had no reply as he had learnt to deal with his madness and push it aside. But he could only hold it until he forgot about it. If he didn't he'd surely lose it and he didn't want Penelope seeing that side of him yet. He hadn't even told her he was previously known as the _Mad Hatter_ and kept it that way.

But when he thought of the girl lying asleep on his bed back in his room he sighed.

He remembered ages ago when before Alice had left him to return to her world and finish things that he doubted she'd ever return. He lost faith in her and had _– in a way –_ fallen out of love with her, a thing that now seeing Alice's hurt and disappointed look yesterday he regretted immensely.

He thought of Alice, a girl that he still didn't know certain things about but now other feelings awoke in his chest, feelings he only thought of as a belly ache of sorts.

He had no idea that he had _never _fallen out of love with Alice – he had just forgotten about her in truth. If he had remembered her all the time – he would still feel for her, he'd of never gone for Penelope. But Tarrant didn't recognize it as he dressed into his clothes, unlocked the bathroom door and shook his beloved awake.

"Penny? Wake up _dearheart_. You need to get changed before the guards find out you stayed here all night" he said gently, shaking her until her eyes flicked open – her rainbow irises opened up ad dissolved into a _jolly dance_ – he called it.

He knew that her eye colour ran in her family and truth be told he didn't like it as much. There were loads of things she never told him. It was like a relationship living on the basics and never getting to know the other person better. It was like a role-play.

"Five more minutes…" Penelope drawled unkindly, rolling over and pushing Tarrant away. Another thing that made him annoyed – her total selfishness towards him about his things.

"Penelope Hattins, get up _NOW_!" he said, his eyes flickering to yellow. Penelope sighed and rolled back over and huffed in his face – which wasn't nice as she had yet to clean her teeth.

"_Fine_!" she shouted, making him jump and she stormed off to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Tarrant sighed and decided to go straight to breakfast without her. He needed a break anyway.

He arrived in the dining room and greeted Mirana kindly before sitting down beside her, leaving a seat for Penelope. "How are you this morning, Mirana?" he asked, pouring himself a cup of tea and helping himself to toast with strawberry jam.

"Quite well, thank you Tarrant. How is Penelope? I know she spent the night with you. Just tell me nothing happened." Mirana said in a dark tone, briskly and not looking at him.

He blushed "No nothing happened! I am a gentlemen you know Mirana! I have _limits_!" he exclaimed.

"Have you thought over any more of these _limits_?" she drawled, almost as unkindly as Penelope had been this morning.

But he couldn't answer as Penelope in question was walking across the hall in a bright green gown and gold heels with her blue hair tied back in a ponytail. Red earrings, black bracelets and other useless jewellery littered herself with and Tarrant sighed at how she dressed. She said she would never allow him to dress her or even make.

Penelope didn't look at him at all.

Oh no, _wait_ she did but that was when she heard Nivens McTwisp announced Alice's arrival. Tarrant sat up straight in his seat and looked towards the doors. "Lady Alice, Champion for the White Queen of Underland!"

The door swung open and there was Alice, looking as sunning as ever and this was probably the most beautiful he'd ever seen her. Being her selfless self she smiled happily as the room clapped at her and she curtsied politely, pointing out she had bare legs and ankles which was very classy.

Alice then started to walk towards them and Penelope popped a chocolate covered strawberry into his mouth. He gagged but then chewed it and swallowed.

He looked at her and rose an eyebrow – she only raised her eyes to behind him as if to say '_Alice needs to know that your mine, not hers'_. This puzzled Tarrant but let her continue feeding him strawberries, despite his nature thinking, _'I can feed myself_!'

When he next turned round he saw that both the Queen and Alice had disappeared and Penelope gave him a peck on the cheek and took off, heading towards the gardens. He wondered if he should follow her, but decided against it.

He, instead, got up and headed towards his Hat-making which sadly had an inter-joining door to the Dressmaker's room.

* * *

He stayed in his room for minutes, which turned into hours quickly as for the Celebration Ball for Alice's return was tomorrow evening and he had orders to fill.

The walls were also very thin in these parts of the castle (for whatever reason, he had no idea) but he heard the Dressmaker's room door open and then close. He then swore he could hear Alice's voice. He paused while working and listened, even if his voice in his head told him not to.

_"Good morning Dylan!" _came Alice's voice from the other side of the wall. He heard something being moved and Alice's giggle.

"_Don't do that! You scared me to death! Now I came here as you said, well and Emma said that you needed my measurements to design my ball dress for tomorrow evening." _

"_Ah yes –_" came Dylan's low and attractive voice. _"- I need you to stand here, then I can take your measurements and then you can of course, as you said, choose what colours and what material you want the dress made out of. Or you can let me choose and surprise you."_

Tarrant hadn't realised as he eavesdropped, that he had snapped his pencil in two pieces. He shook his head and carried on designing his current order.

_"Here, stand here and I'll just need you to lift your arms up and I can measure how long across. Stand straight, relax and I would say that the best results can be measured whilst only in your undergarments but I won't make you do that, Lady Alice." _Dylan said and Alice replied_. _

_"I'm glad you said that and why, I won't say."_

_"I won't ask._

There was a pause. _"Right, you can put your arms down now, now I'll measure round your neck…"_

Another pause…

_"Now around you mid chest. I apologize if I touch anything…" _he trailed off and Tarrant could see red.

_"No, that's fine. I know roughly where you need to measure anyway." _Alice reassured him.

She was too kind for her own good. Dylan chuckled and there was yet another pause. He heard Alice let slip a tiny moan (was it a moan) and he had now forgotten his hat completely. How he wished he could be measuring her now – _stop it Tarrant! Naughty thoughts!_

_"Now I need to measure around your waist, just lift your arms up slightly…yes like that."_

Pause_._

_"Now around your hips…"_

Pause. These pauses made Tarrant sweat with suspense and he had to wipe his forehead several times to ease the gooey stuff from it.

_"Now seeing as your abdomen is less than your hips, and then I don't really need to measure it. Would you like me to check?" _He asked.

_"Yes please, it will be best for future dresses." _Alice said, the hint of…_lust _was in her tone or was he imagining it?

"_Now I need to measure from the middle of your back, right over your shoulder to the top of your breast_." He said, and Tarrant was seeing red now.

_Should he charge in? Oh what an awful sight to see_! This torture for Tarrant continued for over half an hour while he heard snips of gasps and slight groans from Alice. He could be imagining it which he probably was.

After the measurements were done, he heard them walking and then talking about designs. In the end it seemed Alice let Dylan design it for her and she left the room for lunch.

Tarrant was now drenched in sweat and knew he needed a bath. He hurried to his chambers, washed all the sweat and grime off him and made a change of clothes.

He spotted the piece of paper he'd written on and held it tightly in his hand. He checked he was perfect before exiting his chambers and hastily going to lunch. He spotted Alice speaking to Mirana as they headed for the terrace and wondered…

"Alice! Mirana!" he called and they both turned to see him hurrying towards them. Alice exchanged a look with Mirana and rolled her eyes.

"What?" Alice demanded, as if Tarrant had interrupted something very important. He was shocked at her hostility towards him. "Yes, Tarrant?" Mirana asked, somewhat kinder than the Champion.

"May I ask what time I get off duty today?" he asked, weakly. He was going to ask to Alice alone –_ but should he?_

"Normal time, Tarrant. Now if you don't mind, me and Alice have to have lunch." Mirana said, starting to back away from him.

"Mirana – what is the problem? You have singled me out ever since you met Penny!" he demanded. But his answer was in his question. Alice bent down and picked something off the floor and peaked at it.

"You know." Mirana said shortly. Alice raised her eyebrows and fiddled with something in her hands, a piece of paper.

"May I have a word with you Alice?" He asked, his eyes pleading but she didn't meet them. "I'll meet you on the terrace Mirana." She said and walked halfway down the empty corridor and he followed.

"What do you want?" she asked after taking a deep breath and facing him, arms crossed and a sad smile on her lips.

"What was the matter, yesterday?" he asked, concerned for his friend.

"I came back, due to the fact that my mother had just died, Tarrant and that my best friend has some _tart_ for a bride. Apart from that – I'm fine!" she hissed horribly. Tarrant gasped, his friend had changed.

"You're a _monster_!" he growled, his eyes turning yellow.

"_Me_? _Monster_! Have you looked in the mirror and seen what you have done to yourself?" she retorted, her face going red and clutching her piece of paper tightly.

"Yes I have!" he answered, equalling her tone. "I saw myself, Tarrant Hightopp – trying to live my own life without people _leaving_ me all the time!"

"Surely you cannot be so _bloody stupid_ and _believe_ what the madness is doing to you! Luckily I do but that doesn't make me any happier until you wake up, smell the coffee and wake up, Tarrant Hightopp!" Alice spat out, her rage taking over her completely. This had been bursting to say since he saw him clutching onto '_Penny'_.

Tarrant was shocked, shocked that his friend could ever say things like that. His eyes turned red and his sanity told him he didn't want to hurt Alice. The things she was saying were scaring him. "I thought you were my friend, Alice – are you saying that our friendship is _over_?"

"Our friendship changed into something _more_ when I last left. Since then…I _came_ back for _you_." She said, rubbing her forehead and shuffling her feet. This was a big confession.

Tarrant stopped short and froze. Was she confessing to something? "Go on."

"My mother died and…I was _lost_. I…didn't have _anybody_ really who understood how I was. My father did and my mother caught on with that. My sister, she was mother's favourite and never got me and my father. My two parents who _understood_ me died and I needed some comfort."

Alice took a deep breath but the tears had started to fall. She wiped them quickly and looked back up at the man who was breaking her heart. She couldn't tell him now. "To me, that was equal to my _whole family dying_ Tarrant." She admitted.

Tarrant was still and hated how he'd made her cry. He reached out to her but she stepped back.

"I can't…_can't_…I can't…say this _right now_. I'm _sorry_ Tarrant." Alice stammered.

Iif she let him hug her she would _never _let him go. "I'm _sorry_."She repeated and headed towards the terrace.

As she passed him, she handed him the piece of paper.

After she'd vanished, he sighed heavily and closed his eyes. _He'd hurt Alice? How could he be such a monster?_

She was right, she _wasn_'t the monster – he looked like it from her view.

He opened the piece of paper and saw it was the paper he'd written on that morning. _Be strong_, he'd written and smiled.

Alice knew to be strong and she was doing well. He walked in a daze back to lunch, thinking over her words.

* * *

**Tarrant's thinking...ooooohhhhhhh. LOL tell me what you think of this chapter. I know i have a bad feeling its going too fast but I'll try and lessen that. x x x x please review kindly !**


	6. Guilty Planning

**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

* * *

**By the way –I've been reading '_Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'_ LOL & at the top of my profile is the link to show what Alice's ball gown looks like.**

**I want to thank Ngoc Chau as she has offered some great plot lines for my story and so with the next few chapters she takes most of the credit here :D  
**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Six – Guilty Planning**

Alice was in a muddle_. How on earth did she end up in this position?_

She now had let Tarrant she cared and something was the matter between them which she hadn't wanted in the first place. He'd made her cry, he'd made her upset and now he'd made her annoyed. _Stupid men!_

Mirana watched as Alice sat in her seat on the terrace, fiddling with her fingers and a look of worry on her face. "What's wrong, Alice?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Well…you cannot tell Tarrant any of what I'm about to say. Actually you can't tell anyone so I'll trust you with this information." Alice said all in one breath.

Mirana nodded and listened to all of what Alice said. It was interesting and reassuring to hear from Alice herself that she felt how Tarrant should feel for Alice but didn't. She understood how Tarrant's innocent comments made her even more upset and how she had made his eyes turn yellow – a sign that terrified Alice.

"I know he hates me Mirana. I've already lost my best friend and the only man I've ever been in love with!" she said, half hysterically.

"You have to remember Alice-" Mirana said, calmly to the young maiden. "-that Tarrant is a man who has troubles with his feelings and emotions. Since you left, I think he feels you left HIM and that you may have not cared for him."

"But I know-" she said hurrying after seeing Alice open her mouth to argue. "- I _know_ that he was in love with you before. He may think he's fallen OUT of love – which men are so silly to think – but he may of forgotten about you. You just have to win him back."

"How do I do that?" Alice asked.

"Make him jealous, make him so unhappy that he'll abandon Penelope and walk over to you. And I've given you the best opportunity!" Mirana said excited.

"Which is…?" Alice asked, unsure.

"The _ball_!" Mirana positively yelled.

Alice nodded, a plan had already formed in her head. But…

"I'm going to see if I can go with Dylan. But I _hate_ the idea of using him." Alice said. "I won't tell him if we did would we?"

"I think we shouldn't but Dylan likes you anyway. You like him, what's the problem?" Mirana asked.

"Nothing" Alice answered and they carried on their talk happily as if nothing had happened before.

* * *

The next day was the day of her return ball and she was in some ways looking forward tom it. But it was more ways than one that she didn't want to be the centre of attention as she was still quite upset over Tarrant.

She was frustrated how one man's opinion could hurt her so much. He had told her he loved her, he'd _kissed_ her twice. _How could Tarrant lose faith in me so quickly when he was only one before?_ I was longer to return last time.

Once Alice was dressed (today, in a short black skirt with a long sleeved white top and heels) she went straight towards the Dressmaker's room. She had got a note from Dylan, the Dressmaker to come see her when she got up as he had finished her ball gown.

She opened the door to see Dylan half asleep on the settee and a most beautiful ball gown on the manikin beside it. The dress was simple yet breath-taking.

It was a cream/light blue colour and she it was strapless. It flowed out from her knees to her toes and had delicate patterns sewed into the top part. It only just covered around her breast but it looked amazing. She'd never seen anything like it. She also had the same coloured gloves that went up past her elbows.

She then sighed and her plan started as she tried to awake Dylan. "_Dylan_? Dylan, wake up."

He grunted and rolled over, tucking his hands under his ear like a baby. "DYLAN!" Alice half hissed and he jumped awake. "Was-going-on?" he asked, rubbing his hands over his eyes and scanning the room. Then he saw it was only Alice and calmed. "Oh sorry about that Alice, I didn't really have much sleep last night. How are you?"

"Very well. Did you ask me come here to 'warn' me about something I already know about you?" she whispered, so even if anybody could hear, couldn't hear her. "That you are attracted to the other gender?"

He gasped and nodded, looking down. Inwardly he was thinking, _she thinks your weird or worse she'll pity you. She'll **never** fall in love with you Dylan, you're **gay**_.

"Just so you know I'm _totally_ ok with it. All people are different" she said happily, and making Dylan smile as well.

"Just tell me-" she said, a frown appearing on her face. "-the reason you stayed up all night wasn't making m dress."

He shook his head and sighed. "I asked you _not_ to wear yourself out, and you either forgot or didn't listen to me. Can you at least go to sleep now so you will have energy for this evening?"

"What's happening this evening?"

"It was the Queen's idea to throw a celebration ball celebrating, my return to Underland" Alice said seriously. "And I'm slightly stuck as I have nobody to take me seeing as the one man I ever wanted to go with me is taken already-" she took a deep, long breath to steady herself.

"- so and I'm the '_guest of honour'_ as Mirana put it." She laughed bitterly. Dylan seized his opportunity.

"Would it be too bold of me to ask you if I could escort you to the ball tonight, Miss Alice?" he said in one long breath – his nerves were praying she accepted.

Alice beamed at him and answered "I would be delighted to go with you Dylan. See you at my chambers at six thirty." Alice then kissed him on the cheek and departed but not before telling to get Emma to bring her gown to her.

She exited the room and breathed in._ How guilty she felt! What if he actually fell in love with her?_ She was a wicked person. But she needed to give Tarrant a lesson which he deserved which is to _never_ break a women's heart.

But it seemed that when Dylan left the room soon after Alice and closed the door to his work-room, there was a CRASH as in the neighbouring room, hundreds of hats fell upon the unfortunate Hatter who had been eavesdropping again. This caused him to fall head into his madness.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter is short. I shall try make the next chapter longer - and it should be! It'll be the ball!**


	7. Penelope's Desire

**Can You See Me?  
**_By Rurple101_

* * *

**WARNING! CHAPTER RATED M AS IT CONTAINS EXPLICIT! **

**If you don't know what it means – here's a definition: _Explicit: Having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted/shown._**

**_I tried my best to make it not too graphic. _**

**_(and sorry it isn't the ball YET)  
_**

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**Chapter Seven – Penelope's Desire**

Penelope was happy, happier than when she'd even been with most of her friend's exes in bed! She knew that the sad pathetic so-called '_champion_, Alice Kingsleigh was sobbing her heart out and that _she_, Penelope Hattins had the man Alice wanted – Tarrant Hightopp.

She relished the idea of having someone some else wanted but didn't have.

She walked out of the hall discretely, making sure nobody saw her leave – except Tarrant maybe but he _always_ watched her. Even if he did follow, she didn't care – all she needed was what she _wasn't_ getting from her fiancé.

She had needs; surely Tarrant would understand seeing as he didn't want to make love after they were married.

_Marriage_, she thought as she walked along – _what a waste of space! What piffle!_ The idea of the Champion's celebration Ball tomorrow evening was ridicules _enough_!

She had secretly (better than her normal standards) had been sneaking around, ever since she found out that Tarrant wouldn't be doing it with her for a _long _time.

Three months was a long time for her! Her inner passions were spiralling out of control and she couldn't handle it. The fire of said heated passion burned her and she needed it to be put out.

_Knock, knock_

She had wandered quickly and quietly right back in through the entrance hall, up the stairs and across two corridors in several minutes while she thought and now she was where she wanted to be – Dylan's chambers.

Dylan opened the door and looked lustily at Penelope. She smiled seductively at him and quickly locked her lips on his. He stumbled backwards and fell backwards onto his double bed, Penelope still on top of him. But she knew she was right where she wanted to be.

She placed her hips on top of his and her hands roamed all over his now bare toned chest. She pulled her dress off (with Dylan's quick assistance) and in the next second she was only in her undergarments. She kicked off her gold heels and ripped her jewellery onto the floor. She carefully undid her earrings, tossing them aside as well.

Somewhere deep down in Dylan, his instincts took over. He forgot it was Penelope attacking him hungrily. Instead, his desire for Alice took over and he pictured it was her and not the cheap tart who was engaged to Tarrant Hightopp, the man his love, loved instead of him. Even as he knew that Alice would _never _act like this!

None of this occurred to Dylan. His eyes remained closed and moaned when he felt her bare body on top of his.

He didn't know that the reason he felt this way to Penelope (and have no memory of this morning at all) was because Penelope had somehow managed to spike his drink with a love potion that made him fall for her. She did this to every person she'd done it with (otherwise how would her passion be cured?)

He quickly undid his trousers, slid them down and turned over so he was on top and kissed her neck in small little kisses. He moaned as she slid her hand up his thigh and into his pants.

This continued for several minutes until there was a knocking at the door. _Curses_! Penelope thought. Dylan was still only in his pants, eyes closed. She went to get up but he pulled her back and quick as a flash…

"_Ignore_ the knocking" Dylan cooed.

Penelope couldn't speak; she was experiencing the best sexual activity of her entire life and she didn't want it to stop soon.

* * *

_How did she do it?_ Penelope thought as half an hour later she emerged from the now passed out Dressmaker's chambers. She must be a natural at this kind of trickery.

After she woke up next to the completely naked Dylan next to her; snoring in his sleep, she got up, dressed quickly and hurried to her chambers. She noticed that in the hurry to undress, Dylan had torn her dress in two parts.

It was a good thing that he had spare clothes in his workroom, just down the hall. She dressed in a dark black short dress and hurried off to her chambers to get into something she normally wore. She hated wearing anything that wasn't hers. She dressed into a dark orange dress and hurried off to find Tarrant. But she couldn't find him.

Her passion had been put out but there was no doubt she would have to do it again before the ball tomorrow. She never used the same person twice. _Hell_ – she hadn't tried it on Tarrant as she knew he wasn't good enough for her. He'd wine and be a baby about it. She knew him well.

Penelope remembered how she started off this way, how her father had treated her and explained that his reasons were for a good reason: need.

* * *

_It was a normal day for the innocent Penelope Hattins. She had walked to school, come back from school and was now sitting at her desk in her bedroom, in the semi darkness of her room trying to complete her history homework. _

_Her mother had passed on several years before and her picture was beside her and she remembered how she would understand Penelope and help her break down the answers._

_'Just think, Penny' she would say and Penelope saw her next to her. 'Think it out. If you can't do it, explain to the teacher.'_

_Penelope heard a creek outside her bedroom door but ignored it. She was too busy with the homework. After several minutes of failing the assignment she sighed and got into bed. She fell asleep quick quickly._

_But she was awoken but a sighing noise beside her. She turned over and opened her eyes to see a ghastly sight. Her father was standing next to her bed and he wasn't wearing anything!_

_"Father! What are you doing in here?" she screamed, covering her eyes and looking at her bed sheets. _

_Her father gasped, dropped his hands and grabbed his robe which was on the floor. He covered it up and looked apologetic at his teenage daughter._

_"Sorry Penny" he said sincerely. Penelope was still gasping from the shock of her father looking at her in such a way. "Why?"_

_"I can't help it." He said simply. "There is a fire in my belly, an ache in my legs, I need to satisfy it since your mother passed away and…"he trailed off._

_"That's JUST GROSS!" Penelope screamed, not caring if the neighbours heard her._

_"Penny, don't you have a crush at school? Tony or something?" her father said, sitting on the bed beside her, she slid away from his – disgusted. _

_"Yes…but why are you bringing him into the conversation?" she stammered. _

_"Don't you feel a…desire come over you so powerful you just want to grab him and…"_

_Penelope thought about it. She blushed. "Yes I do. But that's only because I fancy him." She reasoned._

_"That, but much stronger." _

_"But why were you in here?" she argued back._

_"Sweetheart, I only came in here to see you. I wasn't going to do anything to you – your my daughter and I'm a good father, I'd never do that. I don't understand how my robe fell away. Please forgive me." He said, sadly. "I'm a man and the instinct takes over. I have poor control over myself."_

_"Ok, just as long as you NEVER do that again. You freaked me out!" she said, her bottom lip wobbling._

_Her father looked ashamed. "I'm really am sorry penny. Here, give me a hug."_

_Now ever since, when she saw Tony the next day, the desire her father told her about happened, only she saw it as much bigger. The feeling was bigger than big, it was huge._

_She walked seductively over to him. He raised his eyebrows and smiled back as sly as hers. He knew she wanted what he wanted. _

_"Tony, want to come into home with me? I need help on that history homework…"_

_

* * *

_

Penelope signed as she sat down in her room, giving up looking for Tarrant.

Had her father made her like this? Made her sex-crazy and desire-full every time she thought or even looked at a guy? She leaned back into her seat and sighed – hoping her father rotted in hell.

* * *

**That will probably be the only explicit chapter for a while. Sorry if it was too graphic (shudder) but I had to show how Penelope acted like which is gross and totally un-Victorian.**


	8. An Eventful Ball

**Can You See Me?**  
_By Rurple101_

* * *

**Chapter Eight**: An Eventful Ball

* * *

Alice was still unhappy as she got ready for her celebrational ball that evening.

She felt slightly guilty about how she had left Dylan in a position where she was using him to get at Tarrant, and that Tarrant himself was the man she wanted to be with. She was glad however that she was nothing like Penelope who would probably take revenge and get what she wanted.

Alice, she lived happily along and tried to get thing she wanted but if she saw other people weren't interested then she would give in. And she was almost there.

There was a knock at her door. She checked the clock on her mantelpiece.

It was half past six _exactly_. The ball would be starting now.

She took a deep breath and sighed as she pulled on her elbow-length gloves and placed her small golden tiara that Mirana had lent her, ontop of her golden curls.

Emma, her chambermaid, had curled her hair and set it so that some was twisted round her ears and framed her small petite face nicely. The tiara was small and golden and was perched proudly on her head, to show she was the true Underland Champion to the White Queen.

Her white heels clinking against the cool white marble floor, she walked across the room and opened the door.

Dylan was outside, in a tidy and rather dashing outfit.

"Lady Alice" he greeted her, bowing his head and handing a black box to her. Alice took it, smiling, and opened it to find a dried out white rose inside.

"_Oh_" she said happily. She took it out and smelled it.

It still smelt the same as they normally did. "Thank you Dylan." She placed it ontop a cabinet inside her room before closing the door and taking Dylan's elbow he offered.

They walked quickly down to her Grand Ballroom where the ball was being held. They had to wait outside the door as Alice was to walk inside to a fanfare. Mirana was there as well.

"I don't want to walk in on my own" Alice whispered to her. "Walk in together with us."

Mirana nodded and looked to the announcer. He cleared his throat.

"Introducing, _Lady Alice Kingsleigh, Champion to the White Queen_, and the beautiful _Queen Mirana of Underland_ _herself_!"

The doors opened to great applause from the assembly indoors and Mirana walked in first, smiling and waving to the onlookers.

But then Alice and Dylan walked inside and the noise went louder, great cheers of thanks and welcome to their champion.

Alice grinned and curtsied to the crowd before sitting down, half dragging Dylan along with her.

One good thing was that Penelope wasn't there.

_Yet_, thought Alice bitterly.

After about half an hour of sitting down, eating and dancing with Dylan, (who was a pretty good dancer) she found out that Tarrant had made his way into the ballroom.

He looked even more handsome then she had remembered.

She blushed delicately as she glanced round to him. He winked at her and smiled.

"Good evening, Lady Alice" he said charmingly, taking her gloved hand and kissing it softly. "You look _positively breathtakingly beautiful_."

Alice blushed before she remembered that she was still quite down from her last encounter with Tarrant and smiled that said smile again.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, holding his hand out and waiting for her answer.

"You _may_" she replied and took his hand.

It was a reasonably slow song to dance too, but Alice and Tarrant moved quietly and smoothly to the rhythm, forgetting everything but each other as they swayed.

Alice heard the end of the song and leant into Tarrant's shoulder, closing her eyes and breathing in his sweet smell and memorised it for memory.

The way his hands felt as he wrapped his arms round her, the way he said her name with care…

It was all an act. He didn't remember that he loved her.

And it was too much for Alice to take.

She was going to remind him…_but not now._

"I would _appreciate_…a word with you later, if you wouldn't mind, _Hatter_" Alice whispered, drawing closer to whisper her old nickname for him in his ear.

He trembled slightly but smiled warmly to her, a bit of moisture in his eyes.

"Of course Alice" he replied.

She pulled out of the dance, then turned to walk away, only to see Penelope there, giving her an evil look.

"_So_" Penelope said to herself, in a huff.

Alice was tired of this woman, tired of her ruining nearly everything she might have had with Tarrant. Alice crossed her arms and raised a perfect eyebrow to her, testing her. "What?"

Penelope looked confused for a second before she composed herself. Alice made a mental note that Tarrant was still behind her and listening to every word.

"You think you're so _perfect_ with your _title_ and you're ugly _dress_, you're silly _tiara_ and your ability to think you're so _wonderful_!" Penelope spat. "Your just _pathetic_!"

Alice took exactly four seconds to make her response, one that she was quite proud of.

"Are you _jealous_?" Alice asked, in a teasing tone.

**"_THAT I AM NOT!_"** Penelope screamed to Alice. "I have the man you want Little Miss Perfect! Can't be perfect without him can you? At least I know what it feels like to be _wanted, looked after and loved_!"

That hurt Alice only a little bit when she saw that Tarrant hadn't intervened like he would have done for her.

"At least I know that you don't deserve it" Alice said in a deadly whisper, still standing calmly and glaring at Penelope.

"At least I know that if there is something I can't get or don't deserve, I won't always fight for it! I'm not that selfish! I am grown up enough to see that I can't always get what I may want or need!"

"Oh so you _need_ Tarrant, do you?" Penelope bit back.

"Miss Hattins, please can we get over that little hurdle and learn to be grown up and civilised?" Alice asked, showing signs of being really bored of this debate.

"_**NO you stupid little bitch!"**_ Penelope shouted, drawing attention to almost everyone in the room.

She stormed forwards and aimed a punch right at Alice.

Alice sighed and closed her eyes, deciding to not fight.

She braced herself for the punch that knocked her right off her feet.

She flew backwards and her head collided with the hard cold marble floor and blood leaked from where she had made contact with the hard surface.

The pain hit her and she sighed unhappily.

Tarrant _hadn_'t stopped the punch.

Tarrant had _watched it all happen_ and she was now hurt.

Penelope _had_ won over Tarrant.

Tarrant _was_ a fool.

Alice _was_ a fool to think that he would protect her.

It was time for her to seal up her heart.

_"Alice! Alice!"_ came Mirana's frantic voice.

_"Lady Alice! Are you ok?"_ came Emma's frightened tone.

She could hear Penelope's scream of outrage from what sounded that she was being lead away from the party.

There was the shuffling of feet.

Her eyes _were_ still closed.

She _hadn_'t said anything.

She _hadn_'t moved.

She _hadn_'t defended herself from Penelope.

Alice _was_ still unconscious.

Alice _was_ still bleeding.

Alice _still_ loved him.

He _had_ ignored her.

He _hadn_'t pulled her away.

He _hadn_'t protected her.

He_ remembered that he was in love with her._

He _had_ to tell her_ before it was too late._

He ran over towards Alice lying in a small pool of her own blood on the floor, staining her pretty dress and hair.

"_Mirana_!" he called to her over the noise.

The Queen looked at him with tears in her eyes.

_"What is it?"_ he asked.

_"It's too late, Tarrant. She's gone."_

* * *

**Sorry if that is a little too heavy after a long delay! Lol, hope you enjoyed it none the less.**

**Rurple 101 x**


	9. My Fault

**Can You See Me?**  
_By Rurple101_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**: My Fault

* * *

It took an agonising long amount of time for Tarrant to understand how badly hurt Alice had been injured by a simple fully swung punch from Penelope.

He was furious with his madness, his manner towards Alice since she had arrived and his so-called-fiancée.

For the next week after Alice's attack, Mirana was hardly anywhere to be seen; she was either in her potion-making room or by Alice's bedside, administering the potion that should heal her wound in the back of her head. Alice's hair had been tied up into a tight bun and her head had a large thick bandage round her head.

She had been unconscious for five and a half solid days and hope that she would awaken was wearing thin on everyone's mind.

Tarrant had broken things off with Penelope, to her 'distaste';

* * *

_"How can you give me up!" she crackled when he had proposed their courtship over._

_"You attacked Alice and I wish not to be involved with someone who is as wicked as you" Tarrant said firmly, glowering at her._

_"Wicked?"_

_"Yes. You harmed Alice. We are over, Goodbye." He turned to leave._

_"Tarrant!" she called and he turned back round to face her._

_She ran up to him and wrapped her arms round him and leant forwards…_

_He pushed her off her angrily._

_"GoodBYE Penelope."_

* * *

Wanting to see Alice, Tarrant went straight to her chambers and knocked gently on the door. He then pulled the door open and wandered into the room, which was relatively dark, as the great curtains had been pulled over the doors that lead to the grand balcony.

Tarrant sat down next to Alice, who lay in her bed unaware that he sat so close.

He tried to sit on his hands, to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing Alice's hand, to let her know that he was there.

He couldn't help himself.

Slowly, he touched her still-warm hand with his own calloused rough hatter's hands and closed them round her small delicate fingers.

"I'm so so sorry Alice" he whispered hoarsely to her, rubbing her hands to warm them up.

His body shook with the sudden amount of grief he was now burdened with. "It's _all my fault_ you're here, here instead of outside in the happy sunshine and not smiling your wonderfully mad smile. It's _my entire fault_ that I didn't stop Penelope from attacking you. It's_ my entire fault_! I'm sorry Alice! Please, please wake up!"

His tears were racing down his cheeks and as he leaned over and brushed a thin stray stand of hair that had escaped the tight bun.

A tear fell on her cheek but he didn't notice it. He stroked his finger on her cheek and more tears came.

"It's _my fault_ that I seemed to have forgotten to love you. _My fault_ that I decided to court Penelope. It's _my fault_ that I treated you horribly when you came back. Came back _for me_. Came back _to be with me._ I'm sorry if that's not what went through your head and I sound arrogant but that is what I think. I'm sorry, so _sorry_."

He was gently stroking his hand down her face, carefully as he could not to hurt her as he confessed everything to her.

"All your wonderfully lovely golden hair is all wrapped up out of sight. All your burning curiosity is hidden within your deep slumber. All your thoughts, feelings and reactions are carefully timed and placed within your clever head. When you decide you can, please wake up and I will apologise again and tell you that I'm still in love with you."

He kissed her cheek softly and gave her hand a quick soft squeeze.

"I love you Alice."

He then got up, kissed her forehead just as lovingly and then turned to leave the room.

**…**

**…**

**…**

**…**

"I love you too..." came a soft feminine voice from the once-sleeping Alice Kingsleigh.

* * *

**Hehe, please tell me what you think!**

**Rurple101 xx**


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